1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of sun visors for use in vehicles and, more particularly, to sun visors having an improved core member.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known to provide a sun visor for the windshield of a vehicle, wherein the sun visor is mounted on a roof panel of the vehicle for movement between a stored position adjacent the vehicle headliner, a first use position adjacent the windshield and a second use position adjacent a side-door window opening. In a typical sun visor assembly, a sun visor body is provided that includes an outer cover assembly, which folds unto itself and sandwiches a core member therebetween. The outer cover assembly is made of a cloth or vinyl upholstery covering, which is adhesively bonded to a semi-rigid foundation, typically made of kraft paper or other lightweight material. The core member is disposed between the foundation halves and connects to a support rod, which in turn connects to the interior headliner of the vehicle.
The core member of the sun visor is generally the main support structure of the visor, providing the rigidity needed to prevent bending or undesirable flexing of the sun visor during use. Because of these structural requirements, the core member of a conventional sun visor is typically the most structurally complex and costly component in the sun visor. Accordingly, a need exists for a more cost effective core member design that doesn't sacrifice the structure needed to inhibit bending or flexing of the sun visor as it is moved from the stored position to one of the use positions.